Santa's Little Helper 2012 - Mikkeller ApS

Backlash209

California

3.5/5  rDev -12.3%

12-27-2012 02:19:59 | More by Backlash209

Rogorama

Indiana

4.25/5  rDev +6.5%

05-21-2013 13:50:16 | More by Rogorama

caverog

California

3.75/5  rDev -6%

05-10-2013 19:49:05 | More by caverog

andrenaline

Ontario (Canada)

4.34/5  rDev +8.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Huge props to joemcgrath27 for this gem... The last of his most recent parcel to get consumed and well worth the wait.

A - Pours pitch black, thumb of dark mocha head with solid retention and nice sticky lacing.

S - Dark fruits, raisins, plums, cocoa, molasses, hints of burnt sugar and tobacco.

T - The dark fruit notes dominate with the burnt sugar, molasses and cocoa coming through alongside cloves, toasted bread and raisins that linger on the finish.

M - Medium bodied, smooth and surprisingly wet.

O - This brew is insanely drinkable, an ABV that at 10.5% drinks like an 8%-er and will sneak up on you incredibly fast. So pumped I got a chance to try this, thanks again Joe! Loads of flavour and a fantastic example of the style.

Serving type: bottle

05-04-2013 23:13:59 | More by andrenaline

Ale-ienation

California

4.5/5  rDev +12.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Tasted as part of last year's Kerstbier Fest at The Trappist, Oakland, CA.

A: Dark, light beige head, thick lacing.

S: Malt, brown sugar, fruit, raisins.

T: Bit of alcohol. Roasty. Chocolate. Bitter coffee finish.

M: Medium body, bit oily.

O: Delicious holiday quad.

Serving type: on-tap

04-30-2013 03:39:57 | More by Ale-ienation

ascags

North Carolina

4.25/5  rDev +6.5%

04-30-2013 01:42:42 | More by ascags

Paonz

Hawaii

4.25/5  rDev +6.5%

04-17-2013 05:29:59 | More by Paonz

aakerman

New York

3.5/5  rDev -12.3%

04-02-2013 16:50:58 | More by aakerman

aflies

Arizona

4.25/5  rDev +6.5%

03-22-2013 03:53:22 | More by aflies

flayedandskinned

California

3.75/5  rDev -6%

03-01-2013 07:04:22 | More by flayedandskinned

Meerkey

Virginia

3.99/5  rDev 0%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

A: A good amount of beige, slightly apricot head ~2 fingers. Dark, impenetrable raw umber.

S: A lot of spices and something that vaguely reminds me of nail polish remover and metal -- probably just the alcohol. Lots of malts and vanilla. Molasses, chocolate, and burned toast.

T: Wow, lots of flavor. Chocolate malts, alcohol, smoke/roasted notes, molasses - something syrupy sweet like that. A little yeasty. Delicious.

M: Smooth, silky, and full with just enough of a bite from the carbonation to keep things interesting. Nice.

O: Good, the flavors linger for a while on the tongue and the sweetness does coat the mouth, but not in a cloying, unpleasant way. Smell is a bit too boozy for my taste to be really good. All in all, quite good. I'd have another. Recommended.

Serving type: bottle

02-19-2013 01:52:15 | More by Meerkey

Blodsvente

Sweden

3.25/5  rDev -18.5%

02-15-2013 16:04:37 | More by Blodsvente

Grinky

Illinois

3.75/5  rDev -6%

02-13-2013 03:35:38 | More by Grinky

afrothunder

New York

4/5  rDev +0.3%

01-31-2013 07:48:33 | More by afrothunder

NuclearRich

Connecticut

4/5  rDev +0.3%

01-28-2013 13:30:00 | More by NuclearRich

TheBrewo

Michigan

4.01/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

This beer was served on tap at The Old Toad in Rochester, NY. It arrived in a snifter glowing a rich mahogany coloring. It held a one finger tall head of taupe foam, showing nice retention. Thick sheets of chunky lacing were left around the glass as it went. There was a chill haze to the clarity, with no sediment noted. Carbonation appeared average. The aroma gave vinegar, licorice, soured wood, and Belgian yeastiness off the top. Working in were thickly roasted coffee, chocolate, and caramel malts, booze, musk, raisin breadiness, molasses bite, and white sugar sweetness. Our first impression was that the flavoring was strong and complex, with nice spiciness to it. As we sipped, sweet and lightly roasted malts, soured woodiness, clovey phenols, fusel booze fire, and savory hickory smokiness started things off. The fusel booze came to a peak, working with buttery chocolates, bittered salt water toffee, raw coffee bean, and synthetic cherry syrups to the top of the palate. Washing through the finish were medicinal phenols, bittered wood, lightly roasted chocolates, yeast, fig, breadiness, and spicy booze. The aftertaste breathed of more bitterness of booze, licorice, molasses, phenolic clove, and leathers. The body was thick, and the carbonation was medium. There was fantastic slurp, sip, cream, and pop, with excellent froth on the tasting swirl around the mouth that isn’t overdone or overbearing. A thick coating was felt around the mouth, with boozy fuzziness and burn to the tongue, and no real dryness except, again, for boozy rumbles up from the swallow. The abv is fine, and the beer sips nicely.

Overall, what we liked best about this beer was the silky and thick feel, and beautifully foamy appearance and lacing. From the pour on this beer was warming and inviting, with dark spice and nicely contributory booziness to the sweet grainy base. The flavoring followed robustly in the same vein. The feel, however, is really what makes this beer. There was thick froth to the lip, with massive foamy creaminess to the back of the throat. This beer is nice for a cold winter’s day, and certainly worth your time.

Serving type: on-tap

01-26-2013 01:01:16 | More by TheBrewo

bismarksays

Iowa

4.25/5  rDev +6.5%

01-15-2013 10:03:54 | More by bismarksays

Chrily

Norway

4/5  rDev +0.3%

01-14-2013 11:45:07 | More by Chrily

Bonis

Ohio

4/5  rDev +0.3%

01-09-2013 05:56:42 | More by Bonis

DooshBagalow

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev +6.5%

01-06-2013 05:31:11 | More by DooshBagalow

ianjsullivan

Maryland

3.75/5  rDev -6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

ST: 750ml poured into a chalice.

A: Black with a huge brown head. Light gives the beer a deep chestnut brown appearance. The head sits on top like thick cream and does not move. Leaves thick lines of lacing.

S: Heavy metallic aroma that might simply be alcohol, roasted malt, coco, nutmeg, vanilla.

T: Sweet thick malt with some caramel, lots of dark bitter chocolate, and hints of smoke and medicine from alcohol.

M: Thick and creamy

O: Great flavor but unbalanced alcohol, this beer needs more time to age and mellow. The sweetness of the beer is balanced nicely by bitter chocolate flavors, but the alcohol at the end adds a medicinal edge and warmth that distracts. A noel should have some warmth, but I need more balance. A few years could turn this into a gem.

Serving type: bottle

01-05-2013 21:56:13 | More by ianjsullivan

QuamLaetus

Oklahoma

4/5  rDev +0.3%

01-04-2013 19:36:25 | More by QuamLaetus

goalie33

New York

4/5  rDev +0.3%

01-04-2013 06:12:52 | More by goalie33

uturn

Florida

4/5  rDev +0.3%

01-03-2013 22:33:48 | More by uturn

CrazyDavros

Australia

3.48/5  rDev -12.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Pours ruby-tinted black with a dark tan head.
Nose shows doughy bready malt, sultanas, golden syrup, fruitcake, and faint chocolate.
Flavours comprised of booze, bready malt, soft roasted malt, treacle. The alcohol is a bit harsh.
Thick creamy body. Could use more carbonation.

Serving type: on-tap

01-03-2013 12:15:08 | More by CrazyDavros